Oath of office

Maj. Gen. Thomas Owen, director of Logistics and Sustainment for Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, administers the oath of office to newly hired Air Force civil service contracting specialists during their in-processing July 20 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The new hires are part of a recently announced Air Force-wide effort to increase the size of its in-house acquisition workforce, following an extended period of restructure and downsizing. Owen has been selected for promotion to lieutenant general and reassignment in August as commander, Aeronautical Systems Center. (U.S. Air Force photo/Al Bright).

New crop of contracting specialists join workforce

A group of 46 newly hired Air Force civil service contracting specialists is sworn in during a July 20 in-processing ceremony at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The new hires are part of a recently announced Air Force-wide effort to increase the size of its in-house acquisition workforce, following an extended period of restructure and downsizing. After initial orientation, the new contracting personnel will undergo nine weeks of intensive training at Wright-Patterson to become Level-1 certified to join the acquisition workforce for either Aeronautical Systems Center, Air Force Research Laboratory, or the 88th Contracting Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Al Bright).

World War II veterans honored

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio - Capt. Andrew Pierce, 89th Airlift Squadron, escorts C. I. Williams on stage during a special recognition of World War II honorees during the June 26 AFMC's Freedom's Call Tattoo 2009. Mr. Williams enlisted in the military more than 65 years ago and is reportedly the oldest living Tuskegee Airman. (Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Ken LaRock)

ROCK SOLID WARRIOR

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Staff Sgt. Humberto Alcocer, 386th Expeditionary Medical Group aerospace medical technician, is deployed from the 88th Medical Group at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. (U.S. Air Force courtesy photo illustration)

Exercise, exercise, exercise

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Capt. Donald Euler, 386th Expeditionary Medical Group ground critical care team chief, checks the severity of burns a simulated patient received during a dorm fire exercise at an air base in Southwest Asia, June 22. Depending on the location affected and the degree of severity, a burn victim may experience a wide number of potentially fatal complications including shock, infection, electrolyte imbalance and respiratory distress. Captain Euler is deployed from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and hails from Chattanooga, Tenn. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Courtney Richardson)

Exercise, exercise, exercise

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Staff Sgt. Betty Schnoop, 386th Expeditionary Medical Group, completes a triage tag for simulated burn victim during a dorm fire exercise at an air base in Southwest Asia, June 22. A triage tag has three basic categories -- a tear off section to label the severity of the patient's injury and status, main body for the patient assessment and peel off sticker to identify what transportation and treatment the patient received. Sergeant Schnoop is deployed from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio and hails from Albany, N.Y. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Courtney Richardson)